


Upon Dragon Wings

by Penguiduck



Series: The Fire Emblem Collection [11]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, One Shot, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21567637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penguiduck/pseuds/Penguiduck
Summary: You work as a stable girl for Talrega's army, the one commanded by General Shiharam. Strangely enough, for being one constantly surrounded by wyverns, you have developed a fear for the creatures. No one else knows about this, but eventually your friend Haar finds out, leaving you none too happy.[Reader X Haar] A one-shot.
Relationships: Haar (Fire Emblem)/Reader
Series: The Fire Emblem Collection [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1443868
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Upon Dragon Wings

**Author's Note:**

> So I started The Fire Emblem Collection well over ten years ago, a series of quality reader-inserts for one of my favorite video games. I've posted on a couple of other archives, but I figured that since Fire Emblem is popular here on AO3, I might as well add what I have here. I will be posting as time permits. These one-shots are fulfilled requests made by friends and fellow readers. **I am not openly taking requests right now, but I may in the future.** I will only take requests through my monthly raffle, which I've linked to below.
> 
> Obviously, my writing has improved and changed over the years, so some of my older works might not be as polished. Apologies. I don't have any intention of going back and editing, but I suppose anything is possible.
> 
> I would like to draw your attention to something I'm trying out to thank those who have left or will leave future comments on my works: [An Expression of Thanks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227408/chapters/50634035). If you like raffles and enjoy having your fanfiction requests fulfilled, take a look. ;) I encourage you to check it out! This will occur monthly.
> 
> This fic was written back in 2009. I really love Haar, even though he's kind of an old fart. (Says the one slowly becoming an old fart... lol)
> 
> Please enjoy. As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated! <3

It was a chilly day, the snow falling silently about the land. To any beorc, it would seem that the world was standing still, and all that moved were the floating snowflakes as they drifted from the heavens. Winter... you loved it. You received a certain feeling of peace whenever the cold weather rolled around. With a sigh of contentment, you leaned against the trunk of a tree, simply finding the scene enough to keep you occupied. 

However, the tranquility was soon broken as a wyvern tore through the skies above you, releasing a horrifying screech. You shuddered, imagining what that could possibly mean; you figured that there would be a battle soon. Daein was in a vulnerable position now, especially since Begnion lended its forces to help Crimea take back its throne. You didn't know about the specifics, but all you knew was that General Shiharam's forces were going to stop the army marching toward your homeland.

To be truthful, you didn't know much about war either. You were just the one who took care of the horses, someone like a stable boy, though you were the only female involved in managing the steeds. You had been doing this for a long while now. General Shiharam appointed you as a stable hand after finding you orphaned. Your village was attacked by a band of brigands.

It had happened when you were about ten years of age, and while you remembered the incident, the death of your parents did not haunt you. No, you strove to make the most out of life because that was what your mother and father would have wanted. General Shiharam gave you a chance -- you chose to take it. 

Despite the difficulties of living among so many men, you actually found it exciting. There was always news from the soldiers and knights about their long days of work. You often helped with meals and even a bit of housekeeping so you had the chance to speak with nearly everyone at some point. This experience made you a bit of a tom boy, though you hardly knew what it was like to be a lady so it made no difference to you. You were perfectly content managing the stables and sweeping out the keep where the soldiers guarded Talrega.

The only things you didn't like about your job were those nasty wyverns. You had been snapped at, growled at on many occasions, and that caused you to develop fear for the winged creatures. They were vicious with a mouthful of white fangs and claws that could easily tear people into ribbons! It seemed that they disliked you as much as you disliked them. Thus, you avoided wyverns at all cost, preferring the companionship of people or horses.

You returned to the keep, removing your winter clothes as you stepped inside the warmth. There was a fire blazing in the corner, and you knew that the soldiers would welcome a hot meal after a day's work so you found the kitchen where the chefs greeted you cheerfully. They were always happy to see you, especially since you helped them with their meal-making quite a bit.

"Did you hear?" Garnet asked you. She was one of the younger chefs in the kitchen, only several years older than you. "The Begnion army is moving. Apparently, they're supporting a small group from Crimea -- the soldiers say that they'll be here any day now!"

You finished slicing the pork and dumped it into a pot of broth. "But we don't have to worry. General Shiharam's army will protect all of us," you replied, shrugging off the thought of war as though it were no big deal. The truth was that you had never had to worry about it... General Shiharam made sure that the battles took place far from Talrega to keep the civilians safe.

"You seem so certain about this..."

"I am certain," you said. "War isn't going to reach Talrega, not as long as we have these brave soldiers to defend it." You were positive of this.

* * *

You sat outside, leaned against the wall of the fort, watching the snow fall silently onto the ground, coating it in its beautiful, white bliss. Perhaps it was cold, but you felt too calm to realize that the winter chill could easily make you sick if you stayed outside for too long. All the same, you were fortunate enough to have someone else point that out for you.

"You're going to catch a cold. Why don't you run inside where it's nice and warm?"

With a glance, you recognized the source of the voice. It was Haar, one of General Shiharam's most trusted soldiers and his second-in-command. You didn't talk to him very often, mostly because he was always napping whenever you did see him, though you happened to see him every day. He was a good friend, despite what little conversation you shared. "I like it out here," you responded, watching your white breath as it floated in the air.

Haar tilted his head to the side lazily. "Odd that you do. You know that people build houses for a reason, right?" He let his hand fall upon the heavy, stone wall with a light thump. "These walls keep people warm in the winter."

"No, _these_ walls were built for protection," you refuted. "They guard the town of Talrega -- they were never meant to keep soldiers warm. It's just a plus that they also provide shelter."

"You're overanalyzing everything. My point is that you should get inside before the cold makes you sick." Haar studied you intently with his one good eye. The other was covered by a patch, and while everyone wondered what happened to it, he always replied with, "A little accident," when asked.

You couldn't help but glare back at him. "You and the other soldiers are always out in the snow, and you never become sick." Of course, they were outside for an entirely different reason than you, but you didn't need to point that out.

Haar then shrugged with a yawn. "I'm on patrol, but if I had a choice, I would be inside sleeping. Do as you wish, though I don't want to hear any whining if you're struck down with pneumonia." Without another word, he raised his hand into the air, and a wyvern answered his call, landing only several yards away.

You tensed up, backing into the wall of the fort as close as you could. This beast was much too close for comfort, and fear struck you. Although you had known Haar for most of your life, you had never come this close to his mount.

He seemed to notice that you were bothered by his wyvern's presence, and he looked between you and the mount several times. "You're not frightened by this guy, are you?" Haar's voice was laced with subtle amusement, much to your displeasure.

"It's just so... big," you managed to reply, rather stupidly. You neglected to mention the vicious teeth and the sharp claws.

"Yes, _he's_ quite large. Wyverns have to be if we wish to use them as mounts or else they would never be able to carry us." He walked toward the wyvern, placing a hand on his outstretched snout. A deep growl of what seemed like affection echoed from the beast's throat.

Despite how Haar stood between you and the wyvern, you were still nervous about the creature's presence. You had never had a good experience with a wyvern, and you weren't sure if you ever would. The wyvern seemed to sense your fear, removing his snout from Haar's hand and arching his neck to look at you. To your surprise, he didn't snap at you, however. He merely stared at you.

"He's curious," Haar said, waving you over with his hand. "Come here, he wants to meet you."

You shook your head, determined to stay where you were. You pressed your body against the wall as much as you could, drawing your knees to your chest. It was certainly uncomfortable to be caught between something you feared and a large wall. In reality, you weren't sure what made you so fearful of these wyverns... they had never _harmed_ you in the past. They just startled you countless times, snapping at you unpleasantly with their strong jaws and snarling whenever you wandered too closely. That was why you didn't want to step any closer -- you wanted to avoid the wyvern for as long as possible.

"Look, he's not going to hurt you." Haar assured, staying where he was. He looked as though he was about to say something else, but he glanced up toward the skies. A huge group of wyverns and their riders had begun to fly to the east, no doubt ready for battle. "Well, it seems that we're needed." He glanced at you. "We'll just have to continue this some other time. Meanwhile, do me a favor and don't get sick."

You gave him no response.

Without another word, he swung himself into the saddle of his wyvern. The large reptile spread his wings, letting forth a terrifying screech before launching into their air. They flew off, following the group of soldiers to wherever they were needed.

A shiver ran down your spine, though you were relieved. You sat in your same spot for several moments, wondering just why you were so intimidated by these wyverns. They seemed kind enough to their riders, and Haar's mount had made no motion to act aggressively toward you. ...but, you still felt your body freeze up whenever you were around a wyvern.

It seemed that your fear was rational and irrational at the same time. Wyverns by nature were predators and should not be messed with. However, most of the wyverns here were tame and gentle to their riders and even others who their riders had accepted. You hardly saw the difference though, only remembering your poor experiences with them. The time that you spent around the wyvern riders and trainers did not mellow your fear at all.

In silence, you waited until the group of wyverns flew past the fort. Then you slipped from the crate you were sitting on, suddenly feeling the urge to go inside the fort where, as Haar had said, it would be nice and warm.

* * *

The next day, as you cleared the food tables, you noticed that someone had approached you from behind. "_____." You turned around to face Haar who had one hand gripping the strap of a rucksack swung over one shoulder.

"Can I help you?" you asked, pausing to lift the tray topped with empty bowls and dishes over your head. You were still a tad irritated at him from yesterday.

"Just thought I'd mention that I'm glad you're not sick."

You rolled your eyes -- it was all because his stupid wyvern had frightened you inside the fort. There was no way you were going to admit that, however, so you only raised your eyebrows in a questioning remark.

Haar paid your reaction little mind, instead nodding at the tray you were holding. "When you're done with those, I'd like you to come outside. Kyriagos would still like to meet you since he didn't get the chance yesterday."

Your heart nearly skipped a beat. "Kyriagos?"

"My wyvern."

Was he really that determined to scare the living daylights out of you? You gritted your teeth, suddenly setting the tray down upon the table with a rather loud crash. "Why is this so important to you?" It seemed like everyone else in the dining hall had turned their eyes to the two of you.

"Because it's important you learn to face your fears. At this rate, all you're doing is running away from them."

As much as you hated to admit it, he had a valid point. Out of the corner of your eyes, you noticed that you were receiving some strange glances from the other soldiers. You had managed to keep your fear of wyverns a secret from everyone else. It was only Haar who knew about it, and it was a lucky discovery on his part. Normally, you were either in the stables, in the fort or somewhere secluded outside where there were no wyverns.

You breathed out, hoping not to make a scene. "Fine," you seethed. "Give me twenty minutes." Without awaiting a reply, you picked up your tray, walking immediately into the kitchen where you could drop the bowls and dishes in the sink for washing.

After repeating this process several times -- clearing the tables, piling dishes and silverware onto the tray, returning to the kitchen -- you washed your hands and dried them on your apron. The dishes were left to soak in a bubbling sink of soapy water. You would return and help the cleanup crew later. For a moment you wondered how much you would be missed by Haar if you simply never met him. It was a tempting option, especially since you weren't too keen on meeting Kyriagos.

He was a large beast, even bigger than most of the wyverns the army had. It wasn't a surprise that the man second-in-command would have one of the older and more fearsome wyverns. From your understanding, Haar had had this wyvern for a long time too, even before he came to Daein from Begnion.

You thought it strange that General Shiharam and Haar would now have to face their old allies. What would that be like? They left the Holy Knights of Begnion eighteen years ago because of corruption from within the senate. Although there seemed to be corruption here in Daein as well, they chose the lesser of the two evils. You trusted their judgment and would stand by their decision, whatever it was.

But Haar's plan was not what you had expected. Your fear of wyverns didn't disable you from enjoying your everyday life. You just learned to avoid them, and it wasn't like very many of them landed on the ground near the fort itself. They were either in the skies or they were in the wyvern den, located in a tower a distance away from the keep. Why did Haar have to insist that you conquer your fear? Did he find this amusing that you were afraid of something he had grown passionate about?

You removed your apron, hanging it on one of the hooks in the kitchen before navigating through the winding halls of Talrega's keep. As you approached the main door where Haar and Kyriagos were likely to be waiting, you stopped, merely staring at the large slabs of wood. You weren't ready for this... then again, you never were, and at this rate, you never would be. 

A deep sigh escaped your lips. It was time. You reluctantly stepped forward, pushing the doors open. Sunlight leaked into the keep, and you squinted as your eyes adjusted to the bright light. It had stopped snowing, though the land was still caked in this white frosting. The cold bit at your skin, but you didn't mind. You walked outside, keeping an eye out for Haar or his wyvern -- especially his wyvern. The idea of being caught off guard by one of those beasts was terrifying!

"Haar?" you asked out loud, searching for some indication of his presence. He had to be around here somewhere. 

You turned the corner of the fort to see that Haar was sitting where he found you yesterday. He had dozed off again. You had always wondered what gave him this insatiable desire to sleep. What was amazing was that he somehow made himself comfortable wherever he was, able to drift off even in the middle of a battlefield. Although you had half the mind to simply leave, you thought against it.

You touched the metal shoulder guard, tracing your finger along the smooth curves of his armor. It was funny why people made armor so appealing to the eye when its sole purpose was to protect the wearer. You shook his shoulder. "Wake up."

"Zzzzzzzzzz...huh?! Wha--?! Who?! Oh, _____." He yawned lazily, stretching his arms. "Can't you see that I'm napping?"

"Well, if you'd rather me leave--"

"I said nothing of the sort." Haar stood up slowly. For someone whose abilities were admired by the army, he was awfully idle. "Follow me. You have a wyvern to meet."

If it weren't for the fact that you considered the soldier a good friend, you knew that you wouldn't be stuck in this situation. You hesitantly followed him as he asked; the walk was a quiet one, though you expected nothing less from the nonchalant Haar. He was probably still shaking off his drowsiness.

"So what prompted this fear of wyverns?" he suddenly inquired, breaking the peaceful silence.

There was no point in denying it. Haar was strangely observant for his lack of lively attention. "I don't know," you said. "I've just never had a good experience with them. They've always growled and snapped at me. It's hard to like wyverns if they always act aggressively toward you."

To this he said nothing, only sparing you a quick glance over his shoulder. Eventually, the two of you made your way to the den, located on the side of a large rock formation. It was here that people had built upon the rocks and created a home for the wyverns -- they were comfortable living in the pristine wilderness.

Haar whistled, the shrill note wavering in the chilly air. A few moments passed, but soon a screech was heard.

Gazing upwards, you saw the wyvern launch from its high home, circling down to meet his master. You wanted to run, to curl up into a ball and scream, but it seemed that you couldn't. Your feet were frozen to the ground, unable to allow you to move anywhere. All you could do was shut your eyes and let out a small whimper to show just how uncomfortable you were. The wyvern was coming! Before you could consciously think to do anything, you felt a warm arm wrap around your shoulders. 

"Be stout-hearted and stand your ground," Haar said, tightly reaching across your back to rest his hand on your opposite shoulder. "He's not going to hurt you."

You didn't want to open your eyes as you felt the large beast land -- in a more graceful manner than you had anticipated as there was barely a thud beneath your feet. However, you needed to be brave, to prove that you weren't the young girl that Haar had grown up knowing. Slowly, you inhaled, finally opening at the wyvern that stood before you.

The first thing you saw were its fearsome claws, four on each paw. They were sharp and as white as ivory, evidence that they were taken care of. Then came the horns protruding out of the wyvern's sharp head, curving toward the back, in the direction of the body. The tail was the last body part that you noticed, spikes lining the thick appendage -- with one swing of his mighty tail, the wyvern could easily send someone flying.

"He's a handsome thing, isn't he?" Haar asked, paying your frozen reaction no mind. "Come on." He gave you a gentle push toward the creature. "Kyriagos is waiting for you."

To your surprise, the wyvern was just as patient as any human, perhaps even more so. He stayed there, taking a seat among the snow and remained quiet as you gathered the courage to move forward. For the first time, you began to study a wyvern up close, taking notice of Kyriagos' dark eyes. Unlike the rest of his body, however, they were not so fearsome. They were kind, curious, calm...

You were still nervous, but you stepped forward at Haar's encouragement, your eyes never leaving Kyriagos. He looked at you as though he were seeing right through you. Finally, inch by inch, you arrived only several feet away from the large creature. 

Here, the wyvern merely blinked, arching his majestic, long neck toward you. A soft growl that sounded strangely akin to a purr rumbled in his throat.

Your first instinct was to take a step backwards, to run away from this creature that you should not have been so close to, but Haar would have none of that. "You've made it this far -- what's the point in running away now?" He pushed you toward the wyvern again, this time a little more adamantly than before.

Taking a breath, you closed the rest of the distance between yourself and the wyvern. His neck was still extended, allowing his noble head to loom over you in curiosity.

It was intimidating to be in the presence of this creature, for he was surely one that was capable of demonstrating raw power and might. However, there was something else about him as well. Your eyes locked with his, and for a moment, there seemed to be a mutual understanding between the two of you. It was as though he promised that he would not hurt you.

"Go on. You can touch him," Haar said from behind you, both hands now on your shoulders. "He's not going to bite."

You didn't reply, gingerly reaching up with your right hand. Your fingers were only mere centimeters away from Kyriagos' snout. An old fear gnawed at you -- all the wyvern had to do was snap at you and you could easily lose your hand.

Kyriagos then moved his head forward-- 

You shut your eyes, flinching backwards, afraid that the vicious bite would come. But the painful sensation of torn flesh never came. Instead, the tips of your fingers felt warm, though they were on a smooth surface. You gathered the courage to open your eyes, only to realize that you were doing the impossible -- you were touching a wyvern! Your heart pounded in your chest, though Kyriagos did nothing to accentuate your fears.

The large reptile growled again, the sound echoing deep from his throat, though his eyes still sparkled to tell you that everything was alright. He moved his head again, this time toward the ground so that your hand ran along the scales of his face.

It was an odd sensation, though your fears slowly dissipated. You began to pet the wyvern carefully, allowing your hand to run along the smooth scales. Kyriagos particularly liked to be touched in the area between his two, dark eyes, and you gladly did so, now understanding that his deep growls were nothing more than noises of contentment. His scales were all smooth with the exception of where they overlapped one another, forming a rough, but not painful, sensation upon your hand. 

For the first time, you noticed the beauty of this wyvern. He was a dark shade of blue with an overall grey sheen. His claws and most prominent spikes looked as though they were made of ivory. His underbelly was highlighted in a lighter hue of the same blue that graced his scales.

Haar, who had been quiet all this time, leaned his head over your shoulder to say, "He thinks you're pretty."

" _He_ thinks I'm pretty?" you respond, half in amusement, half in question.

"Well, it wouldn't be right for me to say it."

You turned your head so that you could look at him. "Why not?"

He raised his eyebrow, studying you closely with his one good eye. "Because then all of the attention will go to your silly head and give you an inflated ego, which we can't have right now. The horses need tending to before the war."

You were satisfied with the answer. It was his roundabout way of assuring you that you were, indeed, pretty.

Kyriagos stood, the sudden movement making you nervous, though he stepped backwards and stretched his mighty wings. The thin membrane was the same color as his underbelly, arranged in elegant folds, ending with spikes of the same ivory as were his claws. Kyriagos then turned so that his side was facing you, and it was then that you first noticed the saddle strapped comfortably onto his back. 

"He's inviting you for a ride," Haar explained.

Suddenly, you feel uneasy about the idea. "I-I don't know i-if I should..." you started, although you felt another push on your shoulders.

"It's a one-time offer -- you'll regret it if you don't take the chance. Besides, I'll be right there with you." Haar led you to Kyriagos' side. It seemed like you weren't left with a choice. He helped you onto the wyvern, strapping your legs down to the saddle. Effortlessly, he then lifted himself into saddle behind you, doing the same to his own legs. Haar reached around your body for the reins that ran from a harness at Kyriagos' neck.

"Are you sure this is safe?" you asked weakly. It was an absurd question, considering how thousands of soldiers survived day to day with their wyvern comrades, but you were still unconvinced.

Haar said, "Don't tell me you have a fear of heights too." He then signaled Kyriagos to fly. With several steps of his strong legs, the wyvern launched himself into the grey skies, flapping his wings as he propelled himself higher and higher.

At first your stomach churned at the climb, but once the flight was stabilized, you could feel the cold chill of wind in your face -- it was a comfort to you. You took a deep breath, watching the wisps of cloud rush past you as Kyriagos picked up speed. At the height of his climb, the wyvern let forth a loud, prideful shriek. 

You shuddered, though you found that Haar had snaked an arm around your waist, most likely to comfort you. "So how's it feel to fly upon dragon wings?" He had to raise his voice because of the whistling of the wind in your ears, but you could hear him just fine.

It was more exciting than you had expected it to be. You told him this, and you envisioned the small smile blossoming upon his lips. The rest of the ride resulted in silence between the two of you, although there were few words that you could say to describe how you felt.

The land raced below you, and the town of Talrega appeared to be no more than a collection of small dots in a sea of white. All the while, Kyriagos' regal wings flapped through the air, bringing you and Haar closer to the snow-capped mountains. He rounded the highest peak, swerving to the side and drawing a quick laugh from your lips.

When the wyvern returned to the den, he circled the area several times before making a rather graceful landing. His claws touched the snowy slopes and he came to a full stop, settling down so that you and Haar would be able to step off.

Once your feet had touched the ground, you said your goodbyes to your new-found friend. "Thanks, big fella." You petted his snout again, this time with more confidence than before. "You've done more for me than just giving me a ride."

Kyriagos nudged your shoulder affectionately with his large head. He then bid Haar farewell and returned to his home in the den.

"Looks like you got over your fear of wyverns pretty damn quickly."

You threw Haar a knowing glance. "You seem rather satisfied with yourself."

"You're not?" He jerked his head lazily toward the fort, starting to walk.

"It's not that," you explained. "I just didn't think you were going to be able to cure my fear of wyverns."

Haar chuckled. "So you have no faith in me, do you?" He was being purposefully difficult.

"I didn't say that. Don't shove words down my throat." You led the way back home. As the stables came into view, you knew that you would have to check on the horses to make sure that were in good health. Before you parted ways, you said, "Hey Haar?"

"Mm?" 

It was actually kind of difficult getting the word out -- you never thought how much you would learn to appreciate this. "Thanks." You felt the urge to say something more, though you held your tongue.

Haar only grinned slightly, as though he wanted to encourage you, but you would have none of that. Without another word, you turned around.

You jogged off to the stables where you would be there for most of the day. Although there were other stable boys, you were the most diligent of them... besides, the sheer number of horses was simply overwhelming. Any and all stable boys were needed.

* * *

It was getting dark, the orange rays of sunset drenching through the open stable door. The horses didn't mind the chill (neither did you, actually), and it was the most convenient way for you to have any light. You had told everyone else to head on back to the keep -- you would finish up the job since you had been missing earlier. It was just you and the horses.

"There, there," you said, holding tightly onto the lead rope as you backed a young filly into her stall. She was still getting adjusted to all of these procedures so you had to teach her with a firm but loving hand. You locked the metal latch into place when you left her, making sure that she had an ample supply of hay and water.

You then turned toward the tack room, hoping to organize the bridles by the light of the sun before night. Just as you began sorting through the bridles that had been messily thrown aside by the soldiers, a hand clasped your shoulder. You jolted in surprise, turning around to see who had surprised you. "Haar! What are you doing here? You scared the crap out of me!"

He seemed breathless as though he had run all the way here. It was a rare sight since he appeared to be the athletic type -- then again, his wyvern usually did all the moving for him on the battlefield. "Begnion's army... they're coming. They're right at the border. They'll be here in several hours."

You nodded, ready to get to work. "Right. I'll make sure the horses are ready by--" Haar had caught your shoulder again. "What? What's wrong?"

He shook his head, his voice calm and composed. "General Shiharam wants us to leave."

"We'll still need horses," you persisted, tugging yourself away.

But he remained adamant. Haar glanced toward the direction of the fort, even though the stable's walls were in the way. "They will. Not us."

"W-what do you mean?" you dared to ask, the tone of his voice intriguing but worrying. "We're all leaving, aren't we?"

Haar gazed at you solemnly. "No, _____. It'll be just you and me. General Shiharam was given orders to flood Talrega, and he doesn't know what else he will have to do for the sake of the king. He wants us to leave before things get out of hand."

You couldn't believe it. No, you refused to run away like a coward when the general and everyone else fought! "He's asking for too much! I can't leave this place -- I won't!" You were looking Haar directly in the eye now.

He sighed. "Look, there's a reason why he gave this order--"

"I don't care! If he thinks he can just ask the people who love him to pack up and run away while he risks his life, he can think again! You know I've always been here; this is my home, and I've always stayed here until the soldiers come back to Talrega Keep! It's how I do things around here, and it's how I am able to make myself useful! I've made up my mind! You can march right back to General Shi--"

You were silenced when Haar suddenly leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours in a quick kiss. When he broke away, you took a deep breath, trying to register what had just happened. Entirely caught off guard, a mix of emotions ran through your mind, though you did not have the composure to speak them out loud.

He patted the side of your cheek with one hand. "There. You're quiet now."

You couldn't find anything to say. What he did was not fair. Totally not fair.

"Now that you're listening to me, General Shiharam, he... well, he doesn't know whether he will survive the fight." Haar's voice was low and grave. "From what spies have reported, this army is strong. They have a reason for fighting, and they stick by it."

His words hurt. General Shiharam was almost like a father to you. Why had things come to this? You were so sure that his army would pull through and win the battle as it always did... In deep despair, you leaned forward, only to be caught by Haar's strong arms. You rested your head against his chest and listened.

"I know," Haar continued, his tone softening. "I know you don't want to leave, but we have to. If we die, who's going to look after the people of Talrega?"

"...no one," you muttered quietly. The general was a kind man, unlike many other military officers. He did what he could to keep the people safe and happy, and it would be selfish to go against his last wishes.

He squeezed you gently. "That's why we have to leave. Talrega needs us... both of us."

You closed your eyes, angry tears burning their way from the corners of your eyelids. Much to your appreciation, Haar said nothing, merely holding you close as he gave you a moment to cry. This had been your home ever since you had lost your parents, and now you had to abandon it. And even more, you would have to leave the man you loved as a father without a single moment to bid him farewell... for this reason, you were plunged into a deep sadness.

Luckily, however, you had someone there to comfort you. Haar was patient, and he gave you several minutes to regain your poise. After you had calmed, he gently took your hand, silently beckoning you to trust in him.

There was no time for goodbyes as much as you might have wished for it. In fact, you didn't even return to the fort to gather any belongings -- you were in a hurry. Haar led you to the wyvern's den, summoning Kyriagos as he did earlier that day. He then strapped the both of you into the saddle, guiding the magnificent beast into the air.

Today marked the day that you first flew upon a wyvern, upon dragon wings. It was also the day that you conquered your fear of wyverns. You were no longer afraid because you had Haar, the very man whose patience and kindness gave you hope. And as you flew into the distance with him, you somehow knew that everything would be alright, that in the end, you had made the right decision.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://penguiduck.tumblr.com/) for updates and insight on my writing process!


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